Dubai: Dubai has launched a four-week trial of Glydways, an AI-powered driverless electric transport system designed to carry passengers along dedicated routes away from regular traffic.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) began testing the system at Bluewaters on Sunday, October 11. The autonomous pods can accommodate four to six passengers, reach speeds of up to 50km/h and travel as far as 250km on a single battery charge.
Unlike conventional public transport, the system is designed to provide direct, on-demand journeys around the clock without requiring passengers to follow fixed departure schedules.
How the Glydways System Works
The system uses compact electric vehicles that operate on narrow, dedicated guideways, which can be constructed at ground level or elevated above it.
Each pod uses artificial intelligence, sensors, radar and cameras to navigate without a human driver. According to the RTA, every vehicle is equipped with 20 high-resolution LiDAR sensors, radar and high-definition cameras to monitor its surroundings and support safe movement.
The technology can virtually connect more than 10 vehicles, with gaps of less than one second between them, helping transport large numbers of passengers efficiently.
The RTA said the network is designed to carry more than 20,000 passengers per hour in both directions. Passengers will also be able to personalise the air conditioning and entertainment settings inside their pods.
According to the authority, the system could reduce capital costs by up to 90 per cent and operating costs by up to 70 per cent compared with comparable transport systems.
RTA Chief Takes a Test Ride
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, marked the launch by taking a five-minute ride in an autonomous pod along a designated route at Bluewaters.
Before the ride, Al Tayer attended a presentation on the system with Glydways founder and Co-CEO Mark Seeger and Co-CEO and Chief Technology Officer Blake Barber.
He also visited the control centre, where he received a briefing on how vehicles are monitored and managed along the guideways and the technologies used to support safe operations.
“RTA is committed to transforming promising innovations and technologies in the transport sector into practical applications, and to testing and evaluating them within Dubai’s urban environment,” Al Tayer said.
What Will the Four-Week Trial Assess?
The trial will evaluate how the autonomous pods perform in real operating conditions, focusing on safety, reliability and passenger experience.
Testing will cover autonomous driving, sensing, communications and control systems. The RTA will also assess journey times, ease of use and the efficiency of vehicle movement along the dedicated route.
The findings will help the authority determine the system’s readiness and its potential for wider deployment across Dubai.
Partnership to Develop Automated Transit
The Bluewaters trial follows a cooperation agreement between the RTA and Glydways to develop Dubai’s first automated transit network programme of its kind.
Dubai Holding is supporting the initiative by helping prepare the testing environment, infrastructure and operations at Bluewaters.
The trial represents a step in the RTA’s efforts to assess innovative transport technologies and explore new ways to improve mobility across the emirate.
